Green Pest Control Methods for Your Home

There are green options are everywhere you turn these days. Taking care of the environment is a part of most people’s everyday lives. From recycling our water bottles and newspapers to reducing waste whenever possible and reusing much of what once was thoughtlessly dumped in landfills. Today there are even many green pest control alternatives.

We no longer have to resort to using harsh or dangerous chemicals to keep our homes free of pests. There are effective alternatives for eradicating pests and prevent recurrent infestations. Here are a few of the choices the environmentally conscious consumer has for pest control management.

Prevention

Preventing pest infestation from occurring in the first place is always the greenest method of pest control. There are a number of methods that can be used to prevent pests from gaining access to your home. If you don’t personally have the time or skill to practice these methods, consider hiring a qualified handyman to help you.

- Caulking. Making sure your windows are caulked will keep flies and spiders out as well as ants, roaches and many other insects.

- Screens. A tightly meshed window screen will let air circulate but will also keep bed bugs out. Screens can also be used in attics to keep rodents from getting inside to nest and reproduce.

- Cleanliness. Basic housekeeping jobs can be surprisingly effective pest control techniques. Vacuuming will pick up many common pests. Keeping the floors swept will eliminate food sources, too.

Treatment

Despite the best preventative measure, sometimes treatment is necessary to get rid of a pest problem. However, you can stay green while treating for pests. Your exterminator should give you options and information to make the best choice for you home. Here are a few of the options that may be made available to you.

- Mechanical measures. Traps and barriers are two methods of mechanical pest control measures. You can trap an animal and relocate it and you can set up barrier to keep it from reentering the home.

- Cultural control. This means altering the environment to deter pest or convince them to relocate on their own. Moving a woodpile away from the house so termites choose a different feeding ground is one example of cultural control.

- Targeted treatments. You may have to use some type of treatment to completely eradicate a dangerous or damaging pest. However, if you hire an environmentally sensitive company then they can target the treatment to as small an area as possible. They may also be able to use detergent sprays instead of toxic chemicals.

Ask what green options your pest control company uses to help keep you and your home safe and healthy.

Hopper Environmental Services employs the Green First programs. Hopper relies more on non-chemical steps in managing pests. Find out more information on Green First and Hopper Environmental Services today!